Today, January 16, 2024 (no postponement due to snow), Pittsfield, Springfield, Worcester, Boston, Brockton, and Hyannis in a rolling press conference across the commonwealth, homeowners spoke out, calling on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to finally enforce the equal rights to their property (both ownership and the right to occupy) enshrined in the First Article of the Massachusetts Constitution (Bill of Rights) as amended in 1976.
Marnique Rivera, homeowner, foreclosure fighter from Pittsfield, Massachusetts, “When I got my home and was given my mortgage, I was told it was a great deal, a fixed rate mortgage on the first home I ever purchased. Only years later did I find out that it was priced far beyond the real value of the property, that it was supposedly given to me from a corporation that doesn’t even legally exist and never has. In the illegal origination of this loan they didn’t even identify me as Hispanic. My last name, Rivera, might have been clue. They claim that it doesn’t matter that it was priced far beyond what was affordable, which has apparently been the tradition for stealing the land from any person of color who dared to think that they should have equal rights for some 150+ years, and that it could never have legally existed. Our courts are mistaken if they think that inducing somebody into too much debt, more than the value of the home, by an entity that doesn’t legally exist, in a contract that is a lie to you is not prohibited, illegal, and, in fact, discrimination.”
Springfield, Gary Yard, homeowner, foreclosure fighter, West Springfield, Massachusetts.
Alton King of Longmeadow, MA. “I, too, was given two mortgages that were underwritten as a single mortgage. I was told it was a package; take it or leave it. The promise that, once I had done the renovation, the two mortgages would be combined into one affordable mortgage, was a false promise. again, from a nonexistent corporation. I couldn’t possibly have transferred a deed to that nonexistent corporation. Countrywide has claimed to be behind both that lender and this lender. Yet, I, too, was never part of the famous, historic Countrywide settlement as to racist originations. The two mortgages that were illegally also, to avoid, again, the regulatory oversight that would have made them prohibited…”
The Supreme Judicial Court has cases waiting now for it to take to enforce against these predatory, discriminatory and never legally existent loans; its been 47 years after they became explicitly unconstitutional in Massachusetts. The homeowners of Massachusetts demand our top Court enforce the Constitution – and do so equally for all.
BACKGROUND – TIME AND LOCATION DETAILS
The Mass. Alliance Against Predatory Lending homeowner foreclosure-fighters are holding press conferences across Massachusetts – to demand that the Mass. Supreme Judicial Court ends its 50-year silence on constitutional provisions and laws which outlaw discriminatory predatory lending. The lack of the “Aggressive enforcement” state Government leaders called for in the 1990s has allowed historic rates of predatory loans to be targeted at individuals and communities; this has led to a historic rate of foreclosures, economic, personal, familial and neighborhood damages which the Supreme Judicial Court’s Action now could still repair.
In just 4 years, 2006-2010; US median Black wealth lost 54%; Latino wealth 66%; and Asian wealth 34% (for the loss ascribable to foreclosures.)
Homeowners will tell individual stories, show how they demonstrate extensive illegal patterns and call for justice now.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2024 – Pittsfield/Springfield/Worcester/Boston/Brockton/Hyannis
Pittsfield
7:30 AM
Unitarian Universalist Church
175 Wendell Avenue.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Springfield – (Local press contact/coordinator: Gary Yard, 413-557-8881
9:45 AM Gather for press conference
Arise for Social Justice
38 School St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Worcester – (Local press contact/coordinator: Sam Bishop, 413-992-8546
Noon – 1pm
YWCA
1 Salem Street
Worcester, MA 01608
Boston – (Local press contact/coordinator: Laurie Endsley, 978-514-4790)
2:30 PM -3:30
In front of the Supreme Judicial Court
John Adams Courthouse
One Pemberton Square
Boston, MA 02108
Brockton – (Local press contact/coordinator: Maggie Philippe, 508-345-9186)
5:00 PM
Joe Angelo’s Café
11 Crescent St.
Brockton, MA
Hyannis – (Local press contact/coordinator: Lynne A. Rhodes, 617-962-2268)
8:00 PM
Zion Union Heritage Museum
276 North Street
Hyannis, MA 02601
Zoom link for all press conferences (as technology permits): https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83166576634?pwd=d3hrMTNha0xWbGJsblh1dy9tOXNkdz09
Statewide Contact:
Grace C Ross, Coordinator, Mass Alliance Against Predatory Lending
Grace@graceross.net (if you receive a bounce message, you can assume that I received the email anyway, unless I don’t respond)
Cell phone: 617-291-5591
